Michigan food producer Kent Quality Foods issued a recall for a significant amount of hot dog and sausage products recently, over concerns surrounding misbranding and a potential allergen that is not properly documented on the packaging. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the products contain soy, which is a known allergen to many.
The company identified the problem while it was conducting inventory. One of the spice mixtures used in a number of their products notedly contains hydrolyzed soy protein, which may cause dangerous reactions in those who are allergic to soy. However, many of the products that may contain the spice mixture do not list soy on their labels.
In response to this error, the company urged consumers to return these products to the place where they purchased them or throw them out, to avoid safety concerns. The recall affects more that 300,000 pounds of hot dog and sausage products.
What if a faulty food product harms you?
If you suspect that you suffered ill effects from consuming hot dogs or sausages subject to the Kent recall, you may have grounds to take legal action. Whether your food product issue is related to a recall or not, any time that a faulty product harms you, the producer of the product may hold some liability, depending on the extent of your injuries or suffering.
If you hope to build a claim based on such an injury, you must demonstrate that the product caused you serious enough injury that the producer could fairly compensate you for it, such as sending you to a hospital and incurring medical bills.
You must also demonstrate that the injury was related to the product, not coincidental to it, and possibly show that you did not suffer injury because of operator error. If you can build a reasonably strong case to support your claim that the product caused you harm, then the producer may face legal obligation to compensate you both for your material losses as well as your suffering.
Don’t wait to begin building a claim
The longer you wait to build your claim, the less likely you are to file at all. However, if you throw a claim together haphazardly, then you may not present compelling enough evidence to secure a fair result. Be sure to make your claim a priority, to keep your rights and dignity protected.
